Conventionally, as a structure for holding a subscriber identification module (SIM) card, which is an identification card for a portable telephone, one shown in FIG. 8 is known. It should be noted that, in the description that follows, the direction in which the identification card is loaded is assumed to be the forward direction. In FIG. 8, a card-fitting recessed portion 42 is provided in the inner surface of a housing 41 of a portable telephone. In addition, a card connector 43 is disposed. The card connector 43 has two rows of contact portions 44 and 45 at forward and rearward positions, and has a pair of holding portions 46 respectively disposed at substantially intermediate positions between the two rows so as to hold an identification card (hereafter referred to as the card) 51 from left- and right-hand sides. The holding portions 46 are formed by bending a metal plate, and their one ends are respectively fixed to left-and right-hand end portions of the card connector 43. By virtue of their resiliency, the holding portions 46 hold the fitted card 51.
In the above-described construction, when the card 51 is loaded, a front end of the card 51 is adjusted to the position of the rear ends of the holding portions 46, is passed below the holding portions 46, and is slid until it abuts against an inner wall surface of a front end 42a of the card-fitting recessed portion 42. Accordingly, the amount of the card 51 slid becomes the length indicated at L in the drawing. An inner wall surface of a rear end 42b of the card-fitting recessed portion 42 serves as a stopper for preventing the fitted card 51 from coming off.
However, with the above-described card holding structure, there has been a problem in that the amount of the card slid is long. In addition, since the inner wall surface of the rear end of the card-fitting recessed portion is used as the stopper, it has been necessary to lift the rear end side of the card upward and deflect it at the time of removing the card. For this reason, there has been a problem in that a mechanical stress is undesirably applied to the card.